


you'll always be here with me

by fearlesswind



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), First Kiss, Gay Keith (Voltron), Given AU, Guitarist Keith (Voltron), M/M, Minor Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Mutual Pining, Past Matt Holt/Lance, Singing Lance (Voltron), maybe i'll continue it, maybe not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-27 01:14:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20939852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fearlesswind/pseuds/fearlesswind
Summary: I loved someone Lance had told him all those weeks ago back at the gym, I loved them and lost them in return. He didn’t know what to even respond during that time and he doubts he even knows what to say now. But he knows. His heart knows, that this is grief.Immense grief as a few tears slip out of those beautiful blue eyes.I miss you, goes without saying.You'll always be here within me, as I try to move forward again





	you'll always be here with me

His lungs are collapsing down, each breath punching him right in the stomach. Keith heaves, oxygen barely filtering inside his chest as he continues to run, almost crashing right onto the bar’s glass door. He hears the shouts of the bartender, yelling warnings as he barges into the building, sweat clinging to his black shirt. 

Fluorescent lights and a loud melody fill his ears, the singing from the band barely registering in his mind at all. He crosses tables and rows of people in two strides, already pushing the backstage door open, before a hand stops him all together. Annoyance flairs up instantly, and he really doesn’t have time for this. He turns, ready to bite anyone’s head off, the image of broken strings and desperate blue eyes fogging up his mind, and then stops at the sight of a short girl standing before him. 

“You’re Keith right?” The girl says, her glasses shining a vibrant purple and blue along with the music. Another guy stands behind her, lips pressed together in worry and he seems oddly familiar.

“Who’s asking?” He growls, snatching his arm back the best he can, the small bag of chord strings sitting heavily on his jean’s pocket. The girl gulps down, craning her head to peek inside the small storage room. He really doesn’t have time for this “Do you need something?” 

“You’re one of Lance’s bandmates are you not?” At the mention of the boy, something cold settles in his gut, heart thundering and freezing everything over. Guilt washes over his words and he can barely register the glare she’s giving him. 

“I am” He replies, claps and cheers ringing as the band finishes another song. It’s not long before their band is forced to play live as well. _ Just go back inside the room and fix the damn strings! _ “I really don’t have time for this I need-” 

“Is Lance okay?” The taller guy asks, stepping up between the two of them. Keith is about to swat him off but he can see the clear concern on his face, lip bitten down in worry. He’s bad and rash but not cruel.

“He’s alright” He tries saying, the lie not sitting well in his tongue “We just had a mishap, but it’s fine” 

Though now Keith doesn’t know if he’s trying to reassure the big man or himself. 

“You’re sure he’s okay?” The girl pipes up once more, eyes squinting at his outfit. He’s tempted to scowl and just leave them be, but the fact still stands that they’re Lance’s friends. Or at least he thinks they are to some extent. He’s seen the bigger guy hanging around that café Lance works during the weekends, sharing pleasant smiles with each other but just barely. 

The one he’s extremely suspicious of is the girl. 

Now that he’s seen her up close Keith can finally say she’s the one who cornered Lance that rainy day. He can clearly hear the questions spilling from her mouth and echoing across the street, each word and syllable a bullet shot at them. The girl mentioned a name, a guy’s name in between her questions and Lance’s frozen stare worried him. He remembers chasing Lance down after that, mind trying to wrap around all of that confrontation. 

_You’re playing music now? _ She had said, eyes watering with every thunder appearing in the distance, _ This must be some sick joke. _

_That’s Matt’s!_

Keith felt his own skin prickle at the ferocity of her voice, mouth opening to shut her off but the sight of Lance made him stop instantly. The usual care-free smile on his face was gone, blue vibrant eyes devoid of any emotion and hand gripping his guitar. 

_It is isn’t it?!_

“I need to go” Keith ignores her questions, passing her by without much preamble and knocking the backstage door open. Everyone’s eyes turn on him as the door quickly closes behind him and mutes any single sound. He briskly passes down the rest of the bands, eyes already locking with a familiar tuf of white hair. 

“I got the strings” He says as greeting.

“Keith! Oh thank goodness, that was fast!” Shiro breathes out in relief, standing up from the metal chair. Keith takes out the small bag of chord strings gaze shifting from his brother and onto the brunette sitting next to him. 

Lance is hunched over his electric blue Gibson guitar, shoulders up to his ears and eyes glued to the floor. His green jacket lays discarded over his lap, fingers gripping the broken chord strings and hair a total mess. He looks beyond wrecked and guilt is swallowing Keith entirely. 

“I’ll go look for Allura and Adam” Shiro says but he’s not paying attention, taking a few steps and stopping right in front of the other boy. Lance tenses up the moment he sees his combat boots, hugging the guitar further to his body. 

It’s so unlike the Lance he knows and Keith wants nothing more than to punch himself for being the one behind all of this. 

He shouldn’t have push him like that. It was his own fault for causing him such a trouble, always demanding more and more of him. That sweet and hollowing desire following him everywhere and only flaring up at the sight of the brunette. 

It was his own damn fault. 

“Lance” His name feels like velvet against his tongue, all soft and delicate. Blue eyes look up at him, an uncertain frown over the boy’s face. _ Fuck he’s been crying, _ is the first thing Keith notices at the red rimmed eyes. He was such an asshole. 

“Would you-” He struggles with the words, nerves and worry eating him up alive “-Would you let me change your strings?” 

Lance turns to him once more and hands over his guitar without uttering a single word. Keith breathes in relief, taking the instrument in his hands and quickly getting to work around the broken strings. _ It’s all my fault _, keeps ringing in Keith’s mind as his fingers work across the bridge, carefully taking apart each piece and replacing it. 

Everyone is chattering, nerves and excitement in the air, but here with Lance everything is quiet. 

It’s something so unlike what he knows. 

Lance McClain was vibrant, extravagant, a real pain in the ass and dedicated to everything life throws at him. At least that’s how Keith sees him. A mighty brillant sun against an endless night. 

“I’m sorry” Keith starts, eyes trained on the guitar alid over his lap. He can feel Lance’s eyes on him, ever so perceptive and calculating “I’m sorry I pushed you into this. I was so caught up with everything that I didn’t think-didn’t think things through” _ Didn’t think about your feelings _ goes unsaid. 

“Keith it’s okay I-” Lance’s voice comes out raspy and it punches Keith straight in the chest, heart lodging out of his chest. 

“Lance it wasn’t okay” He insists. The tweezers in his hands snap harder than they should have, the string resounding between the two of them. A whip against the air, leaving Lance quiet “I shouldn’t have snapped like that I-I-” 

The thought of Lance singing on the stage-of Lance _ singing _ was so unreal to Keith, leaving him with goosebumps on his skin. He feels the same thrill as the first day he heard him, voice sweet and powerful across the school’s gym. Keith craved more of that sound, greed taking over and pushing onward until the two of them snapped. 

“I am so erupted by your sound” Keith confesses, cheeks heating up at the admission. His fingers slightly shake as he finally adjusts each string on the instrument. He takes it in his hands effortlessly and quickly starts tuning each one “It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard. I’m obsessed with it. And I-I’ve been having so much fun these past months” 

Lance keeps his eyes on him and Keith feels unable to look up. God knows what he’ll do if that were to happen. _ I’ll probably kiss him on the spot _, his mind replies and honestly this was not the time for that. 

“I’m sorry” He softly drums his fingers on the guitar, a perfect melody waving into the air and finally meeting the brunette’s gaze. Keith can only offer a brief smile, nerves and guilt still prickling his skin but the sight of Lance is more than enough for him. 

Carefully Lance takes the guitar back in his hands, his fingers tracing each chord with delicacy, shuddering at the touch. And even then Keith can still see the enormous heartache that weighs him down. 

Somewhere deep inside of him he’s glad Lance didn’t write the song. Hearing about his heartbreak and love for someone else awakened something big and ugly inside of him. He’d known that feeling well.. 

Ugly and deep jealousy ate him from the inside and out. 

“I’m sorry too” Lance pipes up, breaking away his thoughts. Vibrant blue eyes turn, something unfurling and mesmerizing in that deep blue ocean “I should’ve tried harder”

“Lance-”

“Ah you fixed it!” Adam cries from behind them, Shiro and Allura standing by his side as well, “See you only had to change the strings!” 

“Yeah...” Keith trails off, eyes fixated on Lance. 

_I want to help you _ , his mind trails off and taking in every single detail in the boy’s face _ I want to mend everything that’s been broken and help you stand again. _

The need is so great he can feel the weight settling on his chest as he watches Lance carefully stand from his spot. How he desperately wishes to just grab his hand and never let it go. How he wishes to ease every single worry in that boy’s life. 

_I wish-_

“You okay?” Shiro’s voice snaps him out, only the two of them left in their little group. 

“Never better” He huffs, walking towards the stage door before the man pulls him back. He has to bite back a groan “Now’s not really the time Shiro” 

“We have plenty until the show starts” The man says, a gentle smile still present on his lips “The three of us decided that it was best if we open up with Lance and then Allura takes over for the vocals” 

“Fine by me” Keith breathes, already expecting the change of plans “C’mon we need to join the others” 

“Keith wait-” 

“Shiro I really don’t want to talk about this now” He snaps, avoiding eye contact immediately and pushing away from his brother. He can hear the sigh from miles away, but he can’t even form words. Sentences, feelings and emotions swirl all around him and it’s indescribable “I’ll talk. But later, please” 

His pleading must’ve convinced the man, because his only response is another sigh before joining him as well. 

The two of them walk further along, a crewmember opening up the door for them as a roaring crowd greets them on the stage. Keith feels a wave crashing against him, all sorts of thoughts flinging from one side of the other. 

_What the fuc-_

“There you guys are!” Allura chides at them, approaching them from the sides. She is dazzling as always, but even the nerves seem to be getting to her. A tight smile is over her lips, hands clasped with each other “Adam and Lance are waiting for you to enter the stage” 

“Thanks Allura” Shiro speaks for him, ever the steady one “Right after the first song, we’ll give you a signal if it’s your cue or not. Depending on how Lance feels of course” 

“Be sure to make it through the song first” Allura chides them, the ever princess of their group. With a slight push, she shoves the two of them forward.

His nerves are sky-rocketing, fingers trembling as he takes his guitar in hand and walks towards the stage. It’s never been like this. Fireworks and waves crash against each other inside his body, the feeling too euphoric to even comprehend. He almost stumbles with the mess of cables if it weren’t for Shiro’s steady hand. 

He waves around his concern, immediately taking the spot over by the right side of the stage. Long red curtains are draped over them, the crowd hidden from view. But even from here, Keith knows the place is full. Softly he plays the chords on his guitar, the instrument in fine tune and then turns to Lance at the center of the stage. 

The boy looks overwhelmed, the grip on his guitar too tight and eyes zooming in on the microphone in front of him. 

“Ah just ignore it!” Adam tells him, bass already on hand as he moves towards his designated spot “Since Allura is signing after all is best if we leave it there” 

“Don’t worry about it Lance” Shiro pipes up, already testing the drum set as the sounds echo across the room. Keith hears cheers and whistles coming from the other side of the curtain, that same wave of nerves and europhia rushing together. 

Lance nods in exchange, eyes still glancing at the microphone, a sense of finality setting behind his eyes. The boy turns to him once, lips pulling into smile. His heart kicks right in, blood rushing to his cheeks in an instant. 

_He can do this _ , he chants over and over again, _ he can do this._

“Just focus on the song” His voice pipes out and just like that the curtain is drawn. 

Fluorescent lights blind him for a second, the crowd’s roar of applause and whistles make his body shake with excitement. The scenery up from the stage is always different; a different crowd, a place and melody, accompany each other, but the thrill of being up there is always the same. Keith fits right in. 

He turns to Lance one last time, their eyes meeting instantly. And there’s so much he wants to say, so much he wants to confess, but right now he can only convey his feelings through the music. 

_Hear out my feelings _, and his fingers start thrumming on the chords, abash and intense.

Shiro follows immediately after, drums and guitar sounding in complete synchrony and soon enough Adam joins the two of them. The melody waves through the air, emotions running high and mighty as they play along the notes. It’s intense, heavy and everything that makes Keith bright with feeling. 

It rises up and up, everything crashing and colliding together as Lance joins in. It keeps going up and up and just as it descends, a beautiful voice waves in the air.

“_Just like _”

Keith feels the air leave his lungs, heart stopping for the briefest seconds as he turns to look at the man in question. Lance playing with his guitar, blue and pink lights reflecting on his soft caramel skin and lips parted.

_Oh god _ is the only thing on his mind “ _ Snow that hasn’t completely melted _”

His eyes can’t part away from Lance, too stunned and entranced in his beauty it’s hard even to focus on the music. He holds on tighter to his guitar, thrumming on the strings with more intensity and emotion than before, his heart swelling at the sound of both Shiro and Adam doing the same. 

“_Hey, with what words? _ ” Lance sings, voice just as powerful and moving as when he first heard it so long ago. Everything is mixing together, no beginning or end to the feeling blossoming in his heart “_Should I close the door on this love? _” 

Keith thrums harder at the strings, melody echoing further along the room along with the beat of his heart. That dark feeling is coming up again, overtaking any single thought in his mind. 

It comes along. 

“_Your everything has lost it’s tomorrow, and now is wandering around eternally _ ” Each word and syllable is filled with such despair and sadness. Keith’s heart clenches at the thought, eyes drifting over to Lance for a single moment. He looks so broken from afar, holding on with everything he has to that guitar, and he feels so fucking helpless “_Along with me, who was unable to say goodbye or move on _” 

He feels too stunned to even try to gauge in the crowd’s reactions. He can barely contain his grip on the instrument, emotions running high inside his body and exploding everything without remorse. The drums and bass come together naturally, Lance’s voice carrying the song and piecing it together. 

It’s all coming too fast, too soon. Images blur together with one another, mixing colors and hues over each other, music blaring past his eardrums. It’s too much and not enough, he feels intoxicated, obsessed with the feeling. And the only solution his mind clings to is that boy. 

That beautiful and heartbroken boy. 

“_A spell that still won’t break, or some kind of curse _ ” Lance is falling apart on the stage, voice raw with power and longing. He’s hurting so much is the only thought lingering on his mind. He can perfectly see the facade of the smiling boy fading away, slowly being replaced by an immense wave of sadness and guilt. So much guilt "_I’m still holding on to some heavy baggage _” 

A scream rips out from the singer’s throat. Shivers wreck down his spine, hair on edge as Lance’s desperate call reaches his ears. It’s painful, so painful, that Keith knows without doubt he’s not the only one shaken to the core. 

The melody builds up, drums hitting on every note, escalating the tension, the feeling even further. Keith thrums along with the guitar, painfully hitting every single one of the notes, fingers white from gripping the instrument. The song is nearing the end and he doesn’t know if he wants it to end or keep going. 

Everything stops and Lance sings.

“_The cold tears that fall, freeze under the sky _ ” His voice echoes across the room, no one muttering a single word. Lights focus solely on Lance, yellows and oranges all mixing together and reflecting every single detail on the boy’s face. It’s almost magical, ethereal he would think. But such a broken look on his eyes “_Two people who were always together are torn apart _”

Keith grips his guitar tighter, fingers bristling against the chords. 

_I loved someone _ Lance had told him all those weeks ago back at the gym, _ I loved them and lost them in return_. He didn’t know what to even respond during that time and he doubts he even knows what to say now. But he knows. His heart knows, that this is grief.

Immense grief as a few tears slip out of those beautiful blue eyes. 

_I miss you _, goes without saying.

“_That’s all there is to this story _” Lance bears his heart out in the open, closing his eyes at the bright lights and Keith is too caught up in it. He’s deaf to every other sound, the lyrics and the melody carry him along. 

_Fuck_, the word repeats over and over in his mind. 

“_Even if your everything loses its shape one day _ ” His heart clenches, a full sweep hitting right in the chest. Keith is hollow, emotions swooping deep inside of him only for him to fall right back. He bits his lip, frustration, anger and jealousy rising with each lyric and word. His guitar responds accordingly, mixing with the sad and heart-wrenching lyrics “_You’ll always be here within me, As I try to move forward again _”

His gaze turns to Lance, like a moth to a flame, drawn in and unwilling to let go. He never thought, never imagined the boy was carrying such a heavy burden, such a deep scar from his past love. _ I want to help him _ , he promises, notes flying out his guitar, _ I want to help him love again. _

“_Even though I couldn’t say goodbye _ ” Lance’s voice breaks off in the last syllable, too much emotion pent up inside “_You’ll always be here with me _”

The melody goes along, drums and bass hitting every single note as they rise with every second that ticks by. Keith thrums along with his guitar, fingers slightly shaking from all of the emotions piling up inside of him. He turns and immediately his eyes are drawn back to Lance. 

The boy is looking back at him, eyes watering as he searches for something. Keith doubts he even has the answer but his lips pull up in a small smile, wanting and needing to reassure this boy in front next to him. 

“Keith” Lance whispers among notes just as the song comes to an end. There’s a deafening silence as everything stills and picks up again. Cheers and a thunderous applause break through the small bar, every sound rumbling in his ears. Though his eyes aren’t looking even at the crowd. 

They’re stuck on Lance. 

Butterflies explode inside his chest at the sight of the boy. His chest is heaving, shoulders tense and eyes looking far beyond the cerulean lights. Lance takes a sharp breath before turning around to see Keith. 

That’s when he notices the tears. 

Keith immediately reaches out to him, hands touching and fingers lacing together. He badly wants to reach out and wipe those tears away, comfort him and pull them closer. But not like this, not in front of the crowd. So instead, he takes Lance’s hand in his and drags the two of them away from the stage.

“Wait Keith!” Adam’s cries go on deaf ears as the two of them get off the stage, the crowds’ cheers still going onward. He ignores all of them, his undivided attention solely focused on Lance. He pushes the storage’s door open, the cold air hitting him instantly. 

He shivers, fingers tightening over Lance’s. Keith pulls the boy after him, the door closing with a loud thud after it and then silence. His heart is like a drum, vibrating all the way from his toes to his fingertips. He can barely breathe, too much emotions and thoughts crashing against him. 

Lance is shivering beside him, his fingers shaking against his own. He turns, his eyes instantly locking onto his tear-stained face and before he can utter a single word, the boy is already latching onto him. 

“L-Lance, hey!” He exclaims, arms instantly wrapping around his frame as the brunette buries his own face into his chest. Keith gulps, mind stuttering and guitar heavy on his back. Lance is shaking, small gasps leaving his mouth as he carefully pulls away. 

“K-Keith” His voice stutters sending shivers all the way down his spine “Keith, Keith, I-I-”

“Hey calm down” Keith murmurs, hands visibly shaking as he cradles the boy’s face. More tears are falling down, those vibrant blue eyes filled with such longing and need “Deep breaths Lance” 

“Thank you” 

Everything stills and Keith can hardly breathe.

“Thank you Keith” Lance sniffles, words tumbling one after the other and his heart barely keeps up “Thank you for bringing me this far” 

He can feel his heart waver, thrumming and exploding over and over again inside of him. _ I can’t conceal this any longer _ , his mind decides, _ I can’t do it _. He doesn’t even try to argue with that and he simply follows along. 

_I’m in love with him. _

_I’m so in love with him. _

“Thank you-”

Keith always knew he was impulsive, maybe even reckless at the moment of making decisions. Countless of times he had fought and brawled at school, punching and kicking everyone who stood in his way. He had pushed his way through in making a band, disbanding it and creating another one. His life has been a series of last minute decisions. 

And this one was just like them. 

He pulls Lance closer into his arms, circling his waist and leaning down towards him. The last thing he sees are those mesmerizing blue eyes before he’s pulled under. 

Their lips meet against each other, soft and hot to the touch and Keith feels like he’s burning from the inside. A thousand sparks fly all around him and it’s overwhelming. _ Too much, _ his mind speaks up _ It’s too much _. 

But he doesn’t want to let go. 

He never wants to let him go. 

As soon as it happens, he pulls away, cradling Lance’s face with his hands. His fingers shake and head is dizzy from the euphoria. He wants to pull him in again and again, connecting their lips one, two and as many times as he can. 

“You-” His voice is hoarse, words slurring together as they go “You worked so hard for this!” 

Lance is motionless against him, eyes wide and tears threatening to spill over once more. Keith quickly brushes away their remains, heart jumping at the sight of a beautiful blush covering the brunette’s face. He can hardly contain himself as he drops another kiss to his forehead. 

“I’m going out for another song” He says and the boy only nods in response, completely still and eyes stuck on him. 

Keith doesn’t want to leave. He wants nothing more than to kiss Lance another infinite amount of times, before the two of them pass out from the lack of air. But he can distantly hear Shiro’s thundering steps out of the stage and into their small room. 

“Wait for me?” He asks, his message laced with so many thoughts and questions surging forward. 

“Yes” Lance’s meek response makes him swell. Keith places another lingering kiss to his forehead before releasing him and going back out to the stage. His heart is thundering, cheeks flushed and fingers shaking at his sides. 

_Wow_

“Keith?” Shiro opens up the door and almost crashes against him “Woah, are you-”

“Never better” He passes by, guitar already in hand as he welcomes the applause and the lights once more. Adam sends him a murderous glare, quickly stepping away from the microphone before calling Allura over to join them. 

The crowd erupts into cheers again, the applause vibrating him to the very core. Nothing compared to Lance’s kiss though. 

_Nothing can compare_, he thinks. 

Allura greets them, taking the mic in hand as everyone gets in their positions once more. 

_Wait for me? _ His hands tighten on the guitar, the memories of Lance signing enveloping whole. He can feel every single beat taking him apart piece by piece before being pulled together once more by that melody. 

_Yes_

And that’s really all he needs.

**Author's Note:**

> 🌻 [**tumblr**](https://castlebrenda.tumblr.com)  
🌻 [**twitter**](https://twitter.com/BrendaCastleG)  
🌻 [**instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/brendacastle/)
> 
> a given!au who would've thought? 
> 
> i watched this anime and gooood it was so good! i loved it and of course my mind instantly went to klance after that beautiful scene in episode 9. so here we have it! haha it's a small one-shot based on that scene and yes in this fanfic i didn't know on who was supposed to be lance's ex and i went with the idea of matt haha i thought of him or kinkade, but well i stuck with matt (sorry!)  
here's the anime's [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9PbBgyyqcc) if you want to check it out! anyways i hoped you enjoyed it!


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